The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-03-09


is not less than the waste of twenty
five years ago. The margin of profit
has become very small. If men be-
plying it to the benefit of labor, who
suffers?-EdUdrd Atkinson.
The cranks seem to have the best of
it just at present. They may not be
running this globe of ours, but they are
making more noise than anybody else.
We have fallen upon such perilous
times that the first impulse of man
who has any common sense is to con-
ceal it. If a man in perfect normal
state of mind should exhibit himself
without reserve or disguise he would
no doubt be hustled off to lunatic
asylum without ceremony. There is no
help for it. The wave of crankism
must roll on. There is one comfort
the more it spreads the simmer it
gets.-Atlonto Constitution
THE difficulty in the Interpretation of
the long and short-haul section four of
the interstate commerce law can be
understood with the aid of the following:
A l b 2 d
The law forbids greater charge in the
aggregate for carrying, say barrel of
flour, from to ID, or from to d, than
from A to ID. So far it is perfectly
plain. But the next point is: Does it
forbid greater charge for carrying the
barrel between l and C than between
/ and 2? One party will insist that it
does and another that it does not. The
matter will have to be decided by the
railroad commissioners, subject to the
adjudication of the courts. Wall Street
NelCS.
THE business of raising beef-catte
on the wild grasses of the western
plains is declining. Lands are being
rapidly taken up by settlers for agri-
cultural purposes. The great ranges
are being lessened within compare
lively narrow limits. Drovers are
already finding that they cannot so
easily start out their herds in the spring
to roam at will all summer and be
Grounded up" in the fall as beef-cattle
ready for market. There is no longer
the big money in the cattle range inter-
est that there once was. Happily for
stock-raisers on the old plan in agricul-
tural regions, the competition of half
wild western meat is disappearing.
Business in granted beef cattle already
shows signs of revival.
WE believe that the republicans can
win next time and that there are sew
eral men with whom they can do it ;
and we do not believe there is enough
left of the mugwump influence to serve
as a scarecrow. We at least shall not
be alarmed about it before or after the
nomination. We have reason to be-
lieve that Mr.. Blaine and his closest
friends have not made up their minds
that he is to be in the presidential race.
They await public opinion. 1t is of eX-
IRENE importance to them to under
stand that opinion. And last, but not
least, we feel well assured that it is of
the first importance that there should
be continued, as they happily exist, not
merely courteous, but cordial, relations
between the friends of Mr.. Blaine and
the friends of Mr.. Sherman. Gin
cinndi Commercial Gazette.
THE only thing that can prevent a
good spring trade is the possible un-
certainty of the course to be taken by
the labor organizations of the country.
The methods that these bodies of men
have adopted for accomplishing their
purposes are so outrageous and in de-
tiance of all decency or any sense of
Justice that it is scarcely safe for capital
to calculate for the future beyond i'm
mediate demands. This state of bust
ness affairs is far more damaging to the
laboring class than to any one else. No
one attempts to depreciate the COM
mendable efforts of workmen to i'm
prove their mental and physical condi-
tons, and all wholesome agitations
toward the accomplishment of these
are entitled to every encouragement;
but when the Indictment of riOtous
demonstrations and disrespect for the
common rights of others enter into the
methods employed, then it becomes a
subject of public concern to be de.
nOunced and stigmatized in the severest
terms. Boston Journal of Commerce.
IT seems to be conceded that, under
the interstate commerce bill the giving
of free passes over railroads, except in
one state, is to be prohibited. The only
exceptions to the rule are that RAILROAD
officers can be given free passes over
other roads than their own, and tina
ministers of the gospel can be given re
duced rates. These two exceptions arr
an anomaly in the bill. What reason
there is that treasurer or superin
tendent of a railroad down in Maine
should have free pass over a railroad
in California is something which it il
hard to explain. And why minister
should be allowed to ride for less money
than anybody else is another anomaly
Ministers as such are not recognized
or have not been heretofore, as entitled
to any special privileges under the law
but this act makes them favored crea
lures of the state and puts them on al
eleemosynary basis which it is hard tt
understand. If the free-pass business
is to be abolished, and abolished sue
cessfully, it ought to be abolished alb
solutely. Boston Record.
THE Bennington Banner sees the in
terstate commerce law through ;
glass darby" as follows:
at cuts off all reductions in fares, whethe